Julian stumbled back
to his quarters, only to realize that it was morning on Deep Space Nine.
He'd had a little sleep earlier in the night, but right now he felt as
if he hadn't had abit. Garak must have stopped things partly
because he knew Julian would be late for work. He had an appointment
to give a physical in a quarter of an hour. After splashing some
coolwater on his face and combing his hair, he rushed
to the infirmary, still wearing the g-string under his uniform. His patient was on
time, and he managed to be alert and competent by taking a stimulant, something
he usually disapproved of. He worked straight through lunch, examining
patients, fixing minor injuries, and catching up on reports. At about
1600 in the afternoon, a technical report began to swim before his eyes,
and he realized he hadn't eaten since the night before. He went to
the replicator and ordered a sandwich and tea, taking them back with him
to the terminal and finishing the report as he ate. Feeling much better,
he allowed himself to think about the night before and wonder how far this
contest was going to go. As he sat there, he felt the g-string pulled
tight through his cleft, and his cock stirred slightly. Just then,
someone walked in behind him. "Nerys," he said, turning
quickly, "you startled me." She laughed humorlessly.
"I'm not surprised, considering the kind of company you keep. Computer,
close door." Julian looked at her apprehensively as the door slid
shut. Kira waitedimpatiently for it to close and then started
scolding him. "Are you crazy, Julian? Why did you let him continue
his insane contest? Do you want him to keep torturing you?" "He promised not to,"
Julian argued. "I know," she snapped.
"I heard him. But it sounded as if he came close to breaking that
promise." "You heard that?" Julian
echoed. "Odo never closed the
comm line. We wanted to make sure you'd be all right." Julian noticed that
Nerys looked as wan as he felt. She must have stayed up to listen
while Odo rested. "I was all right, as it turned out." Nerys ran a hand through
her hair. "Right at the end, when he cuffed you and dragged you around,
I thought, this is it, I'm going down there to stun that torturer and haul
him to the brig.But then it turned out he was just toying with
you." She paused and went closer to him, squatting down next to his
chair. "Why did you stand for it, Julian? Why aren't Odo and
I enough for you?" Bashir felt a stab
of remorse. "I'm sorry, Nerys," he said. "I've been wondering
those same things myself." He finished his tea, grimacing slightly
when the bitter dregs hit the back of histongue. "It has something to do with the
thrill I get from being with him." Nerys looked impatient.
"It seems frightening to me." "Partly. But
there's an excitement to it that I have trouble explaining. The thought
that maybe he'll lose control and really hurt me." She rolled her eyes.
"That sounds wonderful." Julian closed his eyes
and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "That's not what I meant to say.
I mean that I never know what he's going to do next. And overpowering
him is even moreexciting." "I have two observations
to make, Julian," Nerys said as she rose and started pacing around the
room. "One, you haven't really overpowered Garak; he's let you have
temporary control.But when he wants to dominate you, he throws
you around as if you're weightless. Two, you're speaking in disconnected
sentences--you're not making a lot of sense." "I'm sorry. I'm
trying, but I didn't get much sleep last night." "Neither did I!" she
spat. "I was too busy looking out for you because you don't have
the sense to stay away from Garak. When I think that Odo could have
had him in the brig by now, itmakes me furious." Julian sighed.
"If Odo had him in the brig, that datachip of me would probably be playing
in Quark's right now." He got up and returned his plate and cup to
the replicator. "Look, Nerys,"he said, setting the resorb cycle, "I appreciate
your concern, but I'm really confused myself, and I can't take any more
criticism right now. Can we discuss it later? I need to sleep." "Are you going back
to your quarters?" she asked. "No. I'm going
to sleep in the quarantine room. Someone might drop by here in the
next couple of hours." "Can I come with you?"
Nerys asked unexpectedly. "Of course," he said,
"but I hope you won't keep..." "Not a word," she promised. Without undressing,
they lay together on the bed and fell asleep almost instantly, holding
each other.

Garak was discontented
with himself. "Why did I let him go?" he murmured as he arranged
a new display of belts and scarves. "Did you say something,
Mr. Garak?" asked a customer looking through the racks. "Just talking to myself,
Madam," Garak said with a false smile. He must be going soft.
He had promised Bashir not to torture or beat him, and then he let him
go. Now, to top it off,he was mumbling about his private affairs in
front of a customer. What could he do that would truly surprise the
good doctor? He had a sudden flash of inspiration that made him smile.
When his customer glanced over and happened to see his face, she shuddered
and left without choosing a gown.

Nerys stroked Julian's
hair until he woke. "Julian," she whispered, "we've been asleep for
over three hours. Are you hungry?" "Always," he murmured,
nuzzling his face against her breasts. He raised her uniform top. She laughed and grabbed
his head affectionately, and he kissed and nibbled her breasts for a while,
finally working his way up to her face. He kissed and licked her
all over, settlingfor a few moments on her nose ridges.
She gasped and grabbed his shoulders as he dabbed his tongue rhythmically
across them. "You're such a sweet
man, Julian, so why do I want to hurt you?" she murmured. He stopped his caresses.
"You want to hurt me?" he asked, confused. "No, of course not.
I said 'Garak,' didn't I?" "No. You said
that you wanted to." As she turned her face away, he noticed
with surprise that her eyes had filled with tears. "Nerys?
Why don't you tell me what's wrong?" She sighed. "I
hadn't intended to tell you this, but I guess my subconscious did.
And maybe I will feel better if I get it off my mind." Kira paused
to remove Julian's shirt and strokehis chest before continuing. "The other
night, when Garak put that device on you again... When I went inside
you with the dildo, I enjoyed the thought that you were so excited, but
alsoin pain, that you couldn't stop me, that every
stroke hurt you and took you closer to coming." Julian looked at her
strangely. "I think I knew that," he said. "You started out
gently and then got much rougher, and you kept coming over and over.
And you shouted when you came the last time, didn't you?" "Yes," Nerys admitted
miserably. "I felt your cock in that thing and it put me over the
edge." "Don't worry about
it," Julian said. "I think I tried to tell you at the time, but it
excited me in a perverse way, too, although I honestly never want to see
that thing again. I'm not sure what I think of all this--Odo, Garak,
and now you. What is it about me that makes you all want to use me?" Kira stiffened.
"I don't want to use you, Julian. I just found it exciting to fuck
you when your feelings were so... intense. Do you have thoughts like
that about me?" she added hesitantly. "No," Julian replied
honestly, "I think seeing you helpless would upset me too much. Just
like with Odo. I had to be out of my mind with rage to do what I
did to him. It's exciting withGarak because the things he does to me free
me from responsibility for tormenting him. If that makes any sense..." Nerys looked distraught
and stopped fondling Julian's nipples. "I can't help feeling that
it makes me too much like Garak. He and I want the same thing."
She shuddered. He stroked her face.
"Don't take it too seriously," he said gently. "Just because Garak
finds something arousing, it doesn't mean you shouldn't. You're not
thinking of taking me to aholosuite, are you?" She laughed when she
looked in his eyes and saw amusement there. Kneeling over him, she
started to remove his pants. The g-string soon appeared. Kira
paused in surprise. "I'd forgotten that he made you wear this," she
said. "Actually, I put it
on myself, and then he wouldn't give me my underwear back. What do
you think?" he asked slyly. "You said you kept seeing me as a slave.
Well, this is what Garak'sslaves look like." "Let's see."
She pulled his pants all the way off and gestured for him to stand.
He turned slowly for her inspection, feeling his penis harden under her
gaze. Pulling off her ownpants, she lunged for him, pushing him down
on the bed and straddling him. He ran his hands down her back to
her ass and squeezed it hard. Reaching back, she grabbed his hands
andpushed them above his head. "Hold your
hands there," she said. "Pretend you can't move them." "I don't know if I
can stop myself," he said, moving them over her body. "I want to
touch you." She rolled him halfway
over and untied the knots in the g-string, whipping it off and using it
to tie his wrists to the bed. Although he could have torn the thin
ribbons easily, the slight pressure they exerted on his wrists reminded
him that he was supposed to be bound and helpless. His body warmed
immediately as he started playing the part. One thing he didn'thave to simulate was his extreme arousal. Nerys had mouthed a
trail of kisses down to his erection, which she engulfed in her hot mouth.
"Let me go, Nerys," he gasped as she sucked him hard. "Let me touch
you." "No," she said firmly,
"but I might let you lick me." She sprang to his head, holding her
vulva invitingly over his mouth. Each time he reached for it, she
swiveled her hips and withdrewthe prize. "Please," he breathed,
almost forgetting that he could have broken free if he'd wanted to. "Since you really want
it," she conceded, lowering herself on his mouth. His tongue swirled
up inside her as his lips were pressed to her labia. He almost felt
smothered by her body, herjuices, her scent. As she came, her heat
made him feel that she was a tropical climate he never wanted to leave.
He suddenly had a vision of going with her for a vacation on Risa--the
actualRisa, not the bogus one where Garak had really
tied him down. She withdrew herself from his mouth. He didn't
want to let her go, and nearly tore the ribbons just thinking about reaching
out to pull her back to him. Keeping her eyes on
his face, she moved slowly back until she sat on his erection, rubbing
it around her hot labia without letting it inside. He thrust his
hips up at her as she reachedbehind herself to tease his balls. Finally
she took him into her hand and guided him inside. As always, her
heat made him shiver. He groaned and closed his eyes. Nerys
lay on him and kissed him on the mouth. Their faces slipped against
each other, lubricated by their combined juices. She gasped and came,
lifting herself on her hands to thrust hard against him while rotating
her hips. He held his climax off while she came three more times
in succession, and then he couldn't stop the explosion of light that started
in his cock and ended behind his eyelids. As they lay quietly,
he realized that his hands had come free, but he didn't know when.
The g-string hung in tatters from the headboard. "I'll have to get rid
of that before I let a patient stay in here," he joked. "How about
a shower?" Nerys laughed and then
looked at him seriously. "You liked that." It was a statement,
not a question. "Yes." "So did I," she said
thoughtfully. "A shower is a good idea."

As they were dressing,
an automated call came in for Julian. "Someone's waiting for me in
the examining room," he said. "Computer, acknowledge. I'll
be there right away. Maybe youought to say here for a few minutes," he suggested,
pulling on his other boot. "All right," she agreed. Julian reached for
her as she reached for him. They embraced silently for a moment.
"I'm sorry I've been so confused," he said. "You're confused?"
she laughed. "I yell at you about playing bondage games with Garak,
and then I start one with you. Now that's confused." "No, Nerys, I don't
think so. It was different; we were just playing. I don't think
I'd mind doing something like that with you, if I knew you could escape
any time you needed to. Weshould talk more about it later, but right now
I have to go." She released him and settled down at the terminal
to check her messages. Nothing urgent seemed to demand her attention.
Afterabout ten minutes, she thought it would be safe
to leave. Either the patient would be gone or so involved in an examination
that he or she wouldn't notice that Nerys came through the same door as
Julian. The examining room
was empty. "Julian?" she called. She looked in his office,
but no one was there, either; she was alone in the infirmary. "Computer,"
she said, feeling a sudden spurtof panic, "locate Dr. Bashir." "Dr. Bashir is not
on board the station."

"If you're sure that
Julian hasn't left the station, then he's still here," Kira said in frustration,
"and Garak must be keeping him hidden somewhere." "Of course, Major,"
Odo said formally. "What I'm worried about right now is whether or
not I should notify Commander Sisko. Instead of sexual assault--which
is bad enough, butclearly under my jurisdiction--we have the kidnapping
of a Star Fleet officer, perhaps even something worse, which I ought to
report to the station commander." "Not yet, Odo," Kira
pleaded. "Don't forget that Garak still has that datachip.
Give me an hour to see if I can find them." "We've been searching
for two hours," Odo said indignantly. "We've tried everything.
Now you think you can find him in an hour?" Kira shrugged.
"I have an idea." "What?" Odo asked suspiciously. "Quark," said Kira.
"He's clearly the key to this whole thing. He helped Garak prepare
for the episode in the holosuite, and he probably helped him with the security
overrides andcommunications bugs, too. And who else
might have a contraband sensor screen for sale? If anyone besides
Garak knows where they are, it's Quark." "If he does know anything,"
Odo said impatiently, "he's keeping it to himself. No matter what
I threaten him with, I can't get anything out of him." "He's afraid of Garak.
Let me try. I might be able to promise him something he's even more
afraid of missing." "What?" Odo asked,
even more suspiciously. "Oo-mox," she said
glumly.

Kira straddled a barstool,
trying to look as if she had all the time in the world, and felt Quark's
lustful eyes upon her. She suppressed a shudder. "What can I get for
you, Major?" he asked, leaning on the bar with his eyes at breast level. "A stardrifter," she
replied, restraining the urge to box his ears. After a moment's pause
that made her heart pound with anxiety, he poured her drink. As she
put it to her lips, her throat constricted, so she pretended to sip it
and put it down onthe bar, willing her hand not to tremble. He turned as if to
go, and she spoke, not knowing what to say. "So, Quark, what's new?"
She tried to sound bright and casual, but it didn't work. He turned to her in
surprise. "Since when have you tried to make conversation with me,
Major? What do you want from me?" Nerys changed tack
easily. "There is something you can do for me, Quark. You can
tell me where Julian is." "Dr. Bashir?" he asked,
looking honestly puzzled. "Try the infirmary. Maybe he's working
late." She frowned and leaned
towards him. "No, you try this: the computer can't locate
him, and I think Garak has hidden him somewhere." "I wouldn't know about
that," Quark said smoothly, starting to move away as she grasped his lapels
with both hands. "Uh, Major, I have another customer." "You have lots of customers,
Quark, but maybe I have something more important than customers to give
you." "Give? I'm all
ears." "Trade," she corrected.
"You tell me where Garak has taken Bashir, and I'll..." "Presuming I possess
that bit of information, you'll do what, specifically?" Kira grabbed
his left lobe a bit too hard. "Oww," he complained, putting his hand
up to rub it. Calming herself with
an effort, steeling herself against her disgust at touching his skin, she
started caressing his ear as she had seen Dabo girls do it countless times.
The waxy feel ofhis lobe and the tiny, spiky hairs that pricked
her fingers nearly made her retch; the oily smell that rose off him nearly
brought her to her knees. She willed herself not to gag, andestablished a steady rhythm. Quark was
moaning with delight. A couple of people had turned to watch, and
Kira blushed with anger and embarrassment. "Where is Bashir?"
She slackened her rhythm a bit. "Oooo, don't stop,"
Quark whined. "Tell me, or I will."
She removed her hand from his ear altogether and he jerked towards her,
as if trying to nuzzle against her body. She recoiled in horror. "I'll tell you if you
start again. Just a little more, and I'll..."He'll what?
Nerys thought in a panic. Cautiously, she ran one finger down the
inside of his lobe. "There are some empty
guest quarters. Not renovated..." Quark closed his eyes. "Why can't we find
them on internal sensors?" Kira snapped quickly. He seemed to be
getting close to ecstacy. "Garak has a sensor
screen." He opened his eyes briefly to observe her face. "Don't
ask me where he got it. Ahhhhhh!" As Kira took her hands off
him, Quark relaxed across the bar inbliss. "Ah! Major, you have talented hands.
Unfortunately, as I was saying, I can't help you find Dr. Bashir."
He shrugged and picked up his tray. As Kira sprinted to
the unused part of the habitat ring, she wondered whether Quark was pretending
that he hadn't told her anything or whether oo-mox caused an actual memory
lapse. That information might be useful some day, she thought.